body, axle, wheel clearance problem

[deerchooper]

if you look at what i have in this drawing i need some big help. i have a 1988 chevy 1/2 ton rear axle that is 65" w.m.s. to w.m.s. i need something alot longer. i see that the chevy 1/2 ton vans are 68" and the ford 1/2 ton vans are 69.25" w.m.s to w.m.s.

what to do what to do.

i dont think i can find a rim with no back spacing, so know what????????????

 

[donsrods]

Here is a problem you might not have considered. If your rear tread width is significantly wider than your front width the car will possibly handle funny going down the road. Look at the old slingshot dragsters, they had very narrow rear tread widths compared to the front so they would track straight. Doing the opposite will make the car want to wander somewhat.

My own 23 has a wider back tread due to the 10 inch slicks, and sometimes over rough road surfaces it will wander slightly.

Just thought I should throw that out there.

Don

 

[deerchooper]

don,

i never thought of that as well. the plot thickens.

im half tempted to section the back of the car. like i dont have enough body issues to iron out, lol. if i dont do that it will have to go up in the air and scratch the whole slammed to the ground look.

 

[BatCave]

Have you considered tubbing the wheelwells?

 

[deerchooper]

Have you considered tubbing the wheelwells?

that really isnt the prolem at hand. if you look at my mock up pic you will see the rear tire is all most as high as the bottom of the rear window. i would have to cut the whole wheel well opening to make it happen all together.

 

[jfg455]

if you dont mind an 8 lug rear look at an 11.5" ring gear rear from an 01-07 chevy box van. they had one setup that was a wide track that was 75" or 80" wide. Just be fore warned, they are expensive, big, and heavy.

or try and find a rear axle out of a 93-96 B body wagon (impala , roadmaster etc) they are 8.5 ring gear, 5X5 bolt circle and 4" wider than a normal B body

 

[deerchooper]

ive had 2 of those wagons at 1 time lol. but i never measured the axle.

i do know the caprice in the 80's axle is really short. i dont think i ran across a wagon from the 90's at the bone yard. if i do i will measure.

 

[BatCave]

that really isnt the prolem at hand. if you look at my mock up pic you will see the rear tire is all most as high as the bottom of the rear window. i would have to cut the whole wheel well opening to make it happen all together.

Ahh, I see it now. Yeah, a wider rear, or wheel spacers might be the solution.

 

[jfg455]

i do know the caprice in the 80's axle is really short. i dont think i ran across a wagon from the 90's at the bone yard. if i do i will measure.

Yea, it has to be the big shamoo looking whale body style ones. I think they are 93-96 model years. but I am not sure how wide they are either.

 

[CORPO]

Kind of along the lines of what jfg455 was saying.. im thinking you could grab a full floater axle from a dually pick up and run that.... like a dana 60.

Mine was an 8 lug, but a chevy will have a 6 lug. But im pretty sure you can get kits to convert the dana 60's to different wheel patterns for the off road guys

I will be running a modified dana 61 in my truck... it has 307 gearing, but there are other variances on gearing... I wish i could tell you what the measurement was from WMS to WMS... but i changed mine up... It has to have been right around the 75" mark like you are looking for Mine was from a early 80's ford tow truck

 

[LOWANDRATY]

wheel spacers

tireshopsupplies
check this place out on ebay any size you need

 

[deerchooper]

Yea, it has to be the big shamoo looking whale body style ones. I think they are 93-96 model years. but I am not sure how wide they are either.

i owned 2 of them, i know what ones your talking about lol.

corpo, isnt that the axle you cut the ends off of?

 

[DEAD BROKE]

just cut down the middle and squze the cheeks together works so nice thats what i did to my ply

 

[deerchooper]

i was going to do that but.

i ended up raising the rear and stuffing a smaller tire in.

 

[CORPO]

i owned 2 of them, i know what ones your talking about lol.

corpo, isnt that the axle you cut the ends off of?

Yes, it was freakin wide.. u could run one of those.. it would limit ur rim options though